MLS Regular Season

If confidence for a striker is synonymous with success, then Mac Kandji is ready to go on a tear.

The first-year Houston Dynamo forward has taken to his role as a late game spark plug and strung together several strong performances in a row, punctuated by scoring the lone goal in his club’s 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday. Speaking with MLSsoccer.com on Tuesday, the striker admitted that putting the scoreless drought behind him has helped boost his already resurgent confidence.

If the season ended today, the Houston Dynamo would be out of the MLS Cup Playoffs. After Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps, head coach Dominic Kinnear made sure his players were aware of their situation by putting the club’s 4-4-4 record on the board.

His message: Stick together because they've got some work to do. After speaking with the players Tuesday, the message was heard loud and clear.

It’s been a month since the first match at BBVA Compass Stadium, but it seems like a lot longer than that. Opening day could not have gone better, from all perspectives, including the win. People often ask me what I remember most about that day. I say that it is the reaction of the fans. For me, it was rewarding to witness all of the joy the new stadium, and the environment around it, brought to their faces.

Sunday’s 3-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps was a game of swings for the Houston Dynamo.

Firmly behind the eight ball after conceding an early goal and absorbing pressure for the first quarter hour, the visitors put their foot on the gas and spent the next 50-plus minutes in Vancouver's half of the field. Houston, as they've done this year on the road, saw long spells where they dominated possession and put the host’s goal under siege.

The Houston Dynamo have been here before. A team accustomed to filling international vacancies over the years, they will once again count on its depth to fill two spots on the backline as they travel to Cascadia to face the multi-faceted Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday evening (6 pm CT, FOX Sports Houston, MultiMedios Houston).